The legal challenge to President Barack Obama's health care law -- ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge -- will eventually go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

However, the ruling will likely have an immediate effect when the new Congress starts in January.

Even before the ink had enough time to dry on the law, opponents called for the repeal of the president's landmark legislative victory -- the affordable health care act.

"This case is not about health insurance," said Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. "It is not about health care. It's about liberty."

"On careful review, this court must conclude that the minimum essential coverage provision exceeds the constitutional boundaries of congressional power," U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson wrote in a 42-page decision.

Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice also spoke with CBN News about the challenges to the health care law, and a recent ruling against the legislation. Click here to watch.

The ruling is a direct challenge to the very core of the health reform law. The law's mandate requires most Americans to get health insurance starting in 2014 -- or face a fine.

"No where at any time has Congress ever been given the power to reach so far into the area of commerce to regulate inactivity," said Colby May of the American Center for Law and Justice.

Cuccinelli argued that the law was unconstitutional and -- with respect to the individual mandate -- showed an extraordinary expansion of federal power, regulating not only what Americans buy, but what they choose not to buy. The Republican-appointed judge agreed.

"Part of our health care system obviously needs to be fixed," Cuccinelli said. "Expenses are out of control and everyone's needs are not being met right now, but there are better solutions than giving up our freedoms."

"None of us is a bystander," U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote in response to the ruling. "All of us need health care eventually. Do we pay in advance, by getting insurance, or do we try to pay later, when we need medical care?"

Immediately following the judge's ruling, The White House stood its ground and predicted ultimate victory.

"We're confident that it is constitutional and quite frankly, of the three courts that have rendered decisions on this question, two have ruled in our favor," said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Though the ruling serves as a blow to the administration, the judge denied a request to rule against the entire law or block other reforms from taking effect while the case is appealed. Other cases against the health care law are working their way through the courts as well. However, the decision gives Republicans in Congress more momentum in their effort to repeal the law or withhold funding so it can't take effect.

John Jessup

CBN News Anchor

John Jessup serves as the main news anchor for CBN, a position he assumed after 10 years reporting for the network in Washington, D.C. His work in broadcast news has earned him several awards in reporting, producing, and coordinating elections coverage. Follow John on Twitter @JohnCBNNews and "like" him at Facebook.com/John.V.Jessup.